wrote:
hi history lovers,
Page 140 of To Employers says: "Can it be appreciated that he has been
a victim of crooked thinking, directly caused by the action of alcohol
on his brain?"
One of our members asked why would Bill put such an important piece of
information in the chapter to employers,instead of perhaps one of the
chapters at the beginning of the book.
Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks from Tracy
The Barking Big Book Study Group
England
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++++Message 3259. . . . . . . . . . . . RE: "Stump the Archivist"
From: t . . . . . . . . . . . . 3/17/2006 12:53:00 AM
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> JANUARY 2006 STUMP THE ARCHIVIST
>
> Did Bill Wilson have a mistress who lived in Miami?
seems like somewhere I've read something like "Usually, however, other
people
are
involved. Therefore, we are not to be the hasty and foolish martyr who would
needlessly sacrifice others ..."
So I'll let those who might choose to take Bill's inventory also consider
making
his
amends. [isn't it odd how often we run across those willing to take someone
else's
inventory, but how seldom those same folks volunteer to do the amends
steps?]
>
> When and where did the poker chip tradition start for the groups?
Sister Ignatia was reportedly in the habit of giving out Sacred Heart tokens
to
those
who 'graduated treatment' at St Thomas Hospital in Akron.
As early as Jan 1947, in the Grapevine's "AA Country Wide News
Circuit" column,
it is
noted that the Elmira, N. Y. Group used white-red-and-blue poker chips to
note
lengths of continuous sobriety.
In May 1947, that same column mentions Tacoma Wash using
white-yellow-red-and-blue
chips.
In Aug 1947, that column again mentions the use of a blue chip by the North
Hollywood, Cal group.
A later, 1955, article "In the Chips" noted the practice in
Charlotte, NC with
white-red-amber-green-and-blue chips.
>
> Where did AA come to use the circle and triangle?
"Where" is on most all AAWS literature published, "when"
would be from the 50's
till
1993.
>
> When was the grapevine first published? In its present form?
The first [oversized] issue is dated June 1944,
then it was 'downsized' to it's present dimensions in Sept 1948.
>
> I would apppreciate any direction you might suggest,. . . or even
> some answers!
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++++Message 3260. . . . . . . . . . . . Re: "Stump the Archivist"
From: James Blair . . . . . . . . . . . . 3/16/2006 8:01:00 PM
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JANUARY 2006 STUMP THE ARCHIVIST
Did Bill Wilson have a mistress who lived in Miami?
Who he bonked or didn't bonk has nothing to do with AA history.
When and where did the poker chip tradition start for the groups?
Chips, Medallions and Birthdays
The traditions of chips, medallions and birthdays vary in different parts of
the country and I thought it would be interesting to look up some of the
history on them.
Sister lgnatia, the nun who helped Dr. Bob get the hospitalization program
started
at St. Thomas Hospital in Akron was the first person to use medallions in
Alcoholics
Anonymous. She gave the drunks who were leaving St. Thomas after a five day
dry out a Sacred Heart Medallion and instructed them that the acceptance of
the medallion signified a commitment to God, to A.A. and to recovery and
that if they were going to drink, they had a responsibility to return the
medallion to her before drinking.
The sacred heart badges had been used prior to A.A. by the Father Matthew
Temperance Movement of the 1840s and the Pioneers an Irish Temperance
Movement of the 1890s.
The practice of sobriety chips in A.A. started with a Group in Elmira, N.Y.
in 1947 and has grown from there.
The celebration of birthdays came from the Oxford Group where they
celebrated the anniversary of their spiritual rebirth. As we have a problem
with honesty, A.A. chose the anniversary of the date of our last drink.
Early celebrations of birthdays resulted in people getting drunk and Dr.
Harry Tiebout was asked to look at the problem and he commented on this
phenomenon in an articled titled "When the Big "I" Becomes
Nobody", (AAGV,
Sept. 65)
"Early on in A.A., I was consulted about a serious problem plaguing the
local group. The practice of celebrating a year's sobriety with a birthday
cake had resulted in a certain number of the members getting drunk within a
short period after the celebration. It seemed apparent that some could not
stand prosperity. I was asked to settle between birthday cakes or no
birthday cakes. Characteristically, I begged off, not from shyness but from
ignorance. Some three or four years later, A.A. furnished me the answer. The
group no longer had such a problem because, as one member said, "We
celebrate still, but a year's sobriety is now a dime a dozen. No one gets
much of a kick out of that anymore."
The AAGV carried many articles on chips and cakes and the following is a
brief summary of some.
Feb. 1948, Why All the Congratulations? "When we start taking bows
(even on
anniversaries) we bow ourselves right into the cuspidor."
July, 1948. Group To Give Oscar for Anniversaries.
The Larchmont Group of Larchmont, N.Y. gives a cast bronze camel mounted on
a mahogany base to celebrate 1st., 5th and 10th anniversaries.
"The camel is wholly emblematic of the purposes of most sincere A.A.s,
i.e.,
to live for 24 hours without a drink."
August 1948. The Artesta, N.Mex. Group awards marbles to all members. If you
are caught without your marbles, you are fined 25 cents. This money goes
into the Foundation Fund.
June 1953, We operate a poker chip club in the Portland Group (Maine). We
have poker chips of nine colors of which the white represents the probation
period of one month. If he keeps his white chip for one month he is
presented with a red chip for one month's sobriety.
The chips continue with blue for two months, black for three, green for
four, transparent blue for five, amber for six, transparent purple for nine
months and a transparent clear chip for one year. We have our chips stamped
with gold A.A. letters.
Also at the end of the year and each year thereafter, we present them with a
group birthday card signed by all members present at the meeting.
January 1955, Charlotte, N.C. "When a man takes "The Long
Walk" at the end
of a meeting, to pick up a white chip, he is admitting to his fellow men
that he has finally accepted the precepts of A.A. and is beginning his
sobriety. At the end of three months he exchanges his white chip for a red
one. Later, a handsome, translucent chip of amber indicates that this new
member has enjoyed six months of a new way of life. The nine month chip is a
clear seagreen and a blue chip is given for the first year of sobriety. In
some groups a sponsor will present his friend with an engraved silver chip,
at the end of five years clear thinking and clean living.
March 1956, The One Ton Poker Chip. Alton, Illinois. Author gave friend a
chip on his first day eight years ago (1948) and told him to accept it in
the spirit of group membership and that if he wanted to drink to throw the
chip away before starting drinking.
October 1956, Bangor Washington. Article about a woman who sits in a bar to
drink the bartender sees her white chips and asks what it is. She tells him.
He throws her out as he does not want an alcoholic in his bar. She calls
friend.
April 1957, Cape Cod, Mass. Group recognizes 1st, 5th and 15th
anniversaries. Person celebrating leads meeting. Person is presented with a
set of wooden carved plaques with the slogans.
July 1957, New Brunswick, Canada. Birthday Board. Member contributes one
dollar for each year of sobriety
July 1957, Oregon. Person is asked to speak and is introduced by his or her
sponsor. The wife, mother, sister or other relative brings up a cake. The
Group sings Happy Birthday. The wife gives a two or thee minute talk.
April 1959, Patterson, N.J. People are asked to give "three month pin
talks."
And that's a little bit of info on chips, cakes and medallions.
Where did AA come to use the circle and triangle?
It was introduced at the 20th Anniversary convention in St. Louis and
registered as a trade mark in 1955.
Bill had seen it during a visit to Norway and brought the idea back to the
U.S. We have the symbols on the floor of one of the subway stations in
Montreal.
When was the grapevine first published? In its present form?
The first issue of the GV was June 1944 in the form of a newspaper and it
was 11X17 and 8 pages. It grew to 16 pages.
In Spetember 1948 it was reduced to the present size.
I would apppreciate any direction you might suggest,. . . or even
some answers!
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++++Message 3261. . . . . . . . . . . . RE: "Stump the Archivist"
From: ArtSheehan . . . . . . . . . . . . 3/17/2006 12:18:00 PM
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From: AAHistoryLovers@yahoogroups.com
[mailto:AAHistoryLovers@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of J. Carey Thomas
Sent: Wednesday, March 15, 2006 4:43 PM
To: AAHistoryLovers@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [AAHistoryLovers] "Stump the Archivist"
Our Area has started a idea called "Stump the Archivist." The
four questions below have come from attendees at our Area business
weekends.
I have tried the search capability of our site, but have not
mastered its capabilities. Probably the answers to these *questions*
are there, but I could use some help...!
Here is the first batch of four questions we have been asked:
JANUARY 2006 STUMP THE ARCHIVIST
To Area 15
From Area 65
Did Bill Wilson have a mistress who lived in Miami?
Bill W's mistress, Helen W, lived in New York at the time of their 15
year affair. Helen supposedly bought a home in Pleasantville, NY. She
also became a Grapevine editor. Bill changed his will and royalty
agreement with AA to make Helen the beneficiary of 10% of his
royalties after he passed away. The most detailed information on her
can be found in the book "Bill W' by Francis Hartigan.
When and where did the poker chip tradition start for the groups?
Don't know. There would likely be too many locations claiming primacy
on the matter to factually determine the matter conclusively. Sister
Ignatia should be credited with starting the practice of giving
alcoholics a sobriety token. She handed out Sacred Heart Badges to
alcoholic patients leaving St Thomas Hospital in Akron, OH on the
condition that they would return the badge to her prior to taking a
first drink. See the book Sister Ignatia by Mary C Darrah.
Where did AA come to use the circle and triangle?
The logo first appeared on a large banner at AA's 2nd International
Convention, and 10th Anniversary, in Kiel Auditorium, St Louis, MO,
July 1-3, 1955. See "AA Comes of Age" pgs 49 and 139.
When was the grapevine first published? In its present form?
The August 1948 Grapevine announced that beginning September 1948, its
format would be 5 1/2 x 7 1/2 inches and it would contain 32 pages.
The change was based on a vote of subscribers. Early covers were kept
simple, usually consisting of a grapevine sprig and a color
background.
Cheers
Arthur
I would apppreciate any direction you might suggest,. . . or
even some answers!
_\|/_
(o o)
-----------o00-(_)-00o-----------carey----------
Carey Thomas
Archivist, Area 15
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Yahoo! Groups Links
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++++Message 3262. . . . . . . . . . . . Re: Crooked thinking
From: Jim Lynch . . . . . . . . . . . . 3/17/2006 9:34:00 AM
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The authors of our basic text make it clear earlier in the paragraph on page
140
that they have described fully the nature of the illness in chapters two and
three, and suggest that the employer look there "If this presents
difficulty,".
The series of questions, of which the "crooked thinking" one is
the final
question, begins with the phrase, "If you concede that your employee is
ill".
I do not see anything new in this paragraph, rather it is restating some of
the
information from chapter 2 and 3 in different language. The chapter is
written
to help the employer see that "you may be suffering from an illness
that only a
spiritual experience will conquer."
Jim
an ex-problem drinker in Pittsburgh
----- Original Message ----
From: Charlene C.
To: AAHistoryLovers@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Wednesday, March 15, 2006 1:57:04 PM
Subject: Re: [AAHistoryLovers] Crooked thinking
it would be my guess that employers are more inclined to think in
intellectual
terms than medical or spiritual. especially in that time, when alcoholism
was
considered more of a moral dilema than a spiritual mallody or terminal
illness.
just a thought.
C. Cook
trixiebellaa
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